


As Usual

by Zimra



Series: Ai Atalantë [3]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Númenor, scenes from their angsty teen friendship era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-22
Updated: 2014-06-22
Packaged: 2018-02-05 17:32:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1826425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimra/pseuds/Zimra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pharazôn never manages to drink his troubles away, and Míriel never tries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Usual

Amandil, Elendil, and her father rarely drank, a glass of wine or two at feasts but nothing more. Míriel was the same; she disliked the taste of alcohol, and the way it made her feel slow and dull and off-balance. Inziladûn had warned her more times than she could count that letting her guard down in Ar-Gimilzôr’s palace was never a good idea, and she had witnessed enough tense court situations to know that he spoke the truth.

But Pharazôn drank often, when he had something to celebrate or (more often) in an attempt to smother his foul moods, though it tended to have the opposite affect. Míriel poured herself one small glass of whatever it was her cousin was gulping down and sipped it slowly, as she always did whenever Pharazôn invited her to drink with him. Perhaps it was not entirely proper for the two of them to spend time together like this, without their fathers’ knowledge, but she knew what Inziladûn would say if she asked and she wasn’t feeling particularly rule-abiding tonight. 

Besides, Pharazôn was one of the few people in Armenelos she trusted completely. Letting her guard down around him was no problem at all. 

Normally they talked when they did this, joking with each other or complaining about whatever had been bothering then lately, but tonight her cousin drank in silence, his expression as dark as the storm clouds that sometimes gathered over the summit of the Meneltarma. Míriel watched him apprehensively and sipped at her drink, then poured herself another glass when she realized it was gone. It was more than she had ever drunk in one sitting before, but she thought she could handle it just this once. For all its flaws, the alcohol did ease her nerves a bit.

Pharazôn finished off his latest drink and slammed the cup down on the table, making her jump. “I hate my father,” he growled, running a hand roughly through his dark hair. 

“You don’t mean that,” Míriel said, though they felt like empty words; she certainly felt no love for her uncle, and the way he treated his son was no small reason for her dislike. But Pharazôn’s relationship with his father was complicated, she knew, and other people speaking against Gimilkhâd never improved his mood. 

Pharazôn continued to scowl. “I do hate him. He thinks he can control everything I do and say, dictate where I go and who I speak to. He thinks he can threaten me to get me to do what he wants. Do you know what he said to me today?” Míriel shook her head, worry and alcohol making her stomach churn. “He said that if I don’t stop spending my free time with you and going out riding with Amandil and Elendil, he’ll tell the king to send them both back to Andunië and banish you and your father.” 

“That isn’t going to happen,” Míriel told him. “Amandil is always careful, and so is my father; the king can’t just banish them for no reason, especially not his son. I’m not going anywhere.” She reached across the table and put her hand over his. “You know your father gets angry sometimes and says things that he can’t back up. Everything will be fine, I promise.”

Some of the rage drained from Pharazôn’s face as he considered what she had said. “You’re right, of course. As usual.” He grabbed his cup and made to refill it, but Míriel took it from him, shaking her head.

“Go to bed, Pharazôn. It’s late, and you’ve had plenty.”

Her cousin scowled at her, but he obeyed. She accompanied him to the door to make sure he could walk properly, then watched him vanish into the darkness at the end of the hall before returning to her own rooms.


End file.
